CST's fourth power plant 85% complete

Brazilian flat steelmaker CSN concluded the installation of the turbine at its fourth thermoelectric plant CTE 4 on August 25, a company spokesperson told BNamericas. With the installation of the turbine completed, CTE 4 is 85% finished and expected to begin operations in January 2004. The day after the turbine was mounted, CST received a pipe that will collect and transport gases from its melting shop to the new power generator, the official said. Japan's Marubeni/Mitsubishi supplied the turbine for CTE 4, while Brazilian boiler maker CBC provided the boiler. CTE 4 will increase CST self-generation to 300MW, up from 225MW. It consumes 200MW, and sells the other 25MW on the market. The construction of a fourth thermoelectric plant is part of investment project totaling 403mn reais (about US$134mn) aimed at increasing capacity to 5 million tonnes (Mt) from 4.7Mt. "Our thermoelectric plants are co-generators that produce both electric power as well as act as compressor for the blast furnace blower and can generate steam in the process," CST said.